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Program offers local students much more than summer jobs
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Program participants from the area are: (from left) Trent Lyda, Liberty County High School; Eli Legg, Richmond Hill High School; Beth Belfield, Richmond Hill High School; Jerryan Richard, First Presbyterian Christian Academy; and Jake Boram, Richmond Hill High School. Photo provided.

Through April 25, Coastal Electric Cooperative is accepting applications for its Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow summer work study program, which introduces rising high school seniors to career opportunities in the electric cooperative industry.

The program is designed to help local students to sharpen their skill sets while working alongside Coastal Electric Cooperative staff in engineering and operations, customer service, accounting, human resources and safety, information technology, marketing and communications.

“We want to help bring experience-based education to the forefront, and apprenticeships, starting with our high school students in their senior year, is actually the model to fill those jobs," said Coastal Electric CEO Whit Hollowell.

Students will be paid $9 per hour and may work up to 40 hours per week. Upon successful completion of the Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow program and verification of acceptance at a college or technical school program of his or her choice, each student will also be awarded a $500 scholarship in 2020.

In addition to gaining work experience, students will participate in a new community service project this summer.

“This work study program has given me invaluable real-world experience in a local business, exposing me to how a company functions on a daily basis,” said Beth Belfield, a Richmond Hill High School senior. “Involvement in this program provides an opportunity for students to work with some incredible people and learn skills that would never be acquired in a classroom, helping set students up for success in the future.”

For more information and to apply, visit CoastalElectric.Coop/workstudy.

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